The topic you posted discusses something totally different than what I've suggested here. And I do check the most recent posts all the time before I post something, and I have been doing that for quite a lot of time, and that is why I said If I have missed it, then please refer me to it, but what you are referring me to is not relevant to this.

My suggestion is to restrict users below Member rank from posting outside the Bounties sub-board if they are wearing signatures.

And what that topic suggests to is to restrict newbies from accessing Bounties sub-board if they don't earn at least one Merit, or only users above Jr. members could access Bounties sub-board and it should require at least 1 Merit to reach Jr. member.

How on earth do these two points seem similar to you?

Edit: None of the threads you referred have discussed the exact same point that I'm suggesting here.